Because this River is wild, god speed you boy
by TheAddict4Dramatics
Summary: "My grandfather wrote the date and the place on the back – that's how I know it's VJ-day. Look..." She turned the picture over in the Doctor's hand. "14/08/45. Stella's Diner, Times Square, NYC. Can you imagine what the atmosphere must have been like that day? It would have been electric." Doctor and new companion go to VJ day, NYC and guess who's there to greet them. Doctor/River
1. Chapter 1

_Another adventure for River and the Doctor – once again set in 40s New York, I think I'm obsessed with this time period! Lana belongs to me, unfortunately the rest do not. I don't see Lara as the new companion (who I've remained completely spoiler free about) but a few after her._

_Title from 'The River is Wild' by The Killers._

_The idea for the photograph came from pin-up girl drawing by __Alberto Vargas which can be found on facebook here:_ . ?fbid=238359752934016&set=a.238359242934067.32709.123241651112494&type=3&theater _Please R+R. _

Because this River is wild, God speed you boy

"Lana?!" The doctor bellowed as he swirled around the console room. "Lana this is really impressive and you're missing it!" He sighed dramatically. "I know you're new at all of this but it really is rather easy. Just stand and look awe struck... you know: mouth gaping, unable to form words kind of awe struck..." Still no reply. "Lana?!"

He found her in the closet which was strange because he'd never seen her in there before and thought she didn't even know of its existence. She was still pretty hung up on the whole swimming in the library thing. Well that and the police box that travels through time and space thing.

"There you are. Come on, what you are wearing is fine. We will soon be arriving at Adamora – 37th Century, first human colonies are due to arrive in less than an hour and you can share their amazement at this beautiful planet. I don't want to ruin the surprise but just imagine, well you don't have to 'cause you'll see it soon enough but anyway for now just a imagine a whole planet powered by..."

"Whose stuff is all this?"

She cut off his near-on incomprehensible babblings and looked at him for the first time since he entered the room. She hadn't heard a single word he had said. Surely the excitement hadn't worn off already, not with something this impressive – it was a 37th century planet powered by...

"It can't all be yours surely."

"Erm no, no of course not, have you seen the stuff in here! It is things from everyone that has ever travelled me or yet to travel with me, anything anyone could need _she_ produces it."

"So who does this belong to?"

Lana held up the item of clothing that had been resting in her lap. It was the smallest pair of black, lycra shorts the Doctor had ever seen. They were high-wasted and a small silver buckle was placed at the top of both invisible seams. The Doctor's throat went instantly dry, of all of things she could have picked up. At least those memories were yet to come because the image of River in that was making him blush fiercely so god knows what would happen if he possessed an actually memory of his wife in said garment. It had to hers. Besides the fact that a good 50% of all of the things in here were River's, this in particular was so completely her that there was no doubt in his mind.

"I don't know." The Doctor tried to sound carefree but it didn't work. He had almost completely forgotten about Adamora now and all he wanted to do was lock Lana in her room and go and find River, the River that was going to wear those shorts. "It's obviously an adventure yet to be had."

Lana looked away again. She tried to hide it but the Doctor could see – she was disappointed. Not disappointed that the Doctor owned such a garment, far from it, she was disappointed he hadn't told her who it belonged to.

"Lana?"

"It sounds stupid but they look just like the ones in a photograph I used to have when I was a little girl. I found it when we were clearing out my grandfather's house after he had died. It was a picture of a woman on VJ-day in New York City. My grandfather was in New York at the time, he must have taken the photograph. She'd fallen over and was on the floor but she was laughing, head thrown-back, proper gutsy sort of laugh. And she was wearing shorts so similar to this. I stole the picture." She gave a little nostalgic laugh. "Hid it in my bedside table for years."

"Why?" She frowned slightly. "Why did you take it I mean?"

"I don't know. I ... She was the most beautiful, the most glamorous woman I'd ever seen. She looked so happy, so carefree. I was just a little girl, not even ten. I guess I hoped that one day I would transform into her, become a swan."

The Doctor smiled. She had become a swan, a beautiful, thoughtful and kind swan. But she didn't see it though and that was even more endearing. Lana was different from the other companions he had had. She was quieter, shy even. But he'd soon learnt that it wasn't because she had no reaction to what he was showing her. Everything was bubbling away under the surface, always at danger of boiling over and occasionally it did. But most of the time the lid may wobble and hiss but the water was kept from spilling.

"And this woman, she wearing that exact piece of clothing?"

"Not the exact obviously but completely identical from what I can remember and I spent a lot of time looking at that picture."

He grinned once more. She couldn't, she wouldn't. Oh who was he kidding, it was River, she definitely could and most probably had.

"Do you still have the photograph?"

"Yeah probably, in my flat somewhere."

"Can I see it?"

Lana rummaged through the various little boxes and draws in her room, throwing bits of paper and objects on the floor without a second thought. The Doctor remained in the corner of the room leaning against the TARDIS that was parked there.

"Why do you want to see it anyway?" Lana enquired whilst still searching through seemingly endless amounts of tat. "It's just some woman in a photograph. I mean she can't actually be wearing the same shorts from the TARDIS can she. ... Can she?" Lana swung round to stare the Doctor down. He just smiled and replied:

"I would like to see it that's all. It obviously made an impact on you."

"Ah, got it!" She smiled triumphantly as she presented him with the photo. "She's gorgeous isn't she?"

The Doctor looked down at the picture. Lana had described it perfectly. The woman knelt on the floor, one hand on the ground to steady herself and the other holding a small flag. The shorts were very short indeed and revealed long, shapely legs. She wore a white t-shirt and military hat she had obviously just pinched from one of her solider admirers. Her eyes were almost closed and her painted red lips hung wide open in her laughter. Her hair was a darker, dirtier shade of blonde than the Doctor remembered seeing before. But it was her. It was unmistakeably her and Lana was right once more: she looked bloody gorgeous.

Lana misunderstood the Doctor's silence and continued quickly:

"I mean you don't really do that do you? Think someone is gorgeous. That's a human thing right?"

After another moment of silence:

"You're right. She's absolutely gorgeous."

Lana stared at him, wide-eyed. It was the most ... _human _he had ever sounded.

"My grandfather wrote the date and the place on the back – that's how I know it's VJ-day. Look..." She turned the picture over in the Doctor's hand. "_14__/__08/45. Stella's Diner, Times Square, NYC._ Can you imagine what the atmosphere must have been like that day? It would have been electric."

"Not really one for imagining me. Rather see it with my own eyes. You fancy it?"

"Are you kidding?"

"Did I mention I've got a time machine?" The Doctor smirked.

"Oh my god, yes, I mean of course but ... why? Doctor who is she?"

"You can ask her yourself or better still ask your grandfather."

She ran down the street laughing and dancing wildly in the moonlight. Not that she was out of place; everybody was completely giddy with celebration. They staggered down the streets singing and laughing and embracing anyone they came across. Victory had united an entire city, an entire country.

"Oh my god, oh my god! This is incredible." Lana turned around and grinned excitedly at the Doctor. "It's Times bloody Square. It's 1945! It's VJ-day!" She yelled throwing her head back.

The Doctor chuckled to himself, perhaps she wasn't as quiet and shy as he first supposed. Although the numerous drinks that had been given to her thus far were probably helping.

"Come on, let's find Stella's."

They found the Diner fairly quickly. Every establishment that they had passed had been open and overflowing with customers despite the fact in was almost three in the morning and Stella's diner was no exception. Loud music was blasting onto the street from inside and the Doctor couldn't see any walls or tables for the people crammed inside, all celebrating much like the others he had already seen.

"So how are we going to find her in this lot exactly?" Lana asked as sailor held open the door for her.

"Mam." He spoke in the twang of his Yankee accent. Lana giggled and hurried through.

"Don't worry, something tells me she won't be that difficult to spot."

They tried to make their way through the raucous crowd to the bar but soon came across a large group of around 30 men all crowded round, eagerly watching something. Some were in uniform but most were not, some were cheering, others clapping, most drinking and almost all smoking. The room was so thick with it, it was almost impossible to see straight ahead of you. But as they struggled to the front Lana saw clearly enough what or more precisely who was holding all of their attention: the woman from the photograph in the exact skimpy little outfit. She was, what could only be described as baton twirling with a small flag. She flung it high into the air and lunged forward to grab the hat from a solider standing nearby. She placed it on her head with a wink to its owner and stepped forward to catch the flag but it was too far out and fell to the floor. There was a collective moan but the men immediately started to clap enthusiastically. The performer indulged her audience with a little curtsy.

She bent over to collect the flag, but like everybody else, had had a little too much Victory wine and stumbled to the floor. She burst out laughing and the men joined in. Lana stole a glance at the Doctor stood behind her; he was smiling too, watching the woman intensely with an unreadable expression on his face.

The woman picked up the flag, still laughing and had to use her other hand to steady herself on the ground otherwise she'd surely stumble again. Suddenly there was a bright flash of white light. Lana searched for its source. Standing just a few feet away was the photographer, her grandfather.

"Doctor it's him!" Lana whispered. "That's my grandfather. That's the picture."

He was already disappearing in the dispersing group of men, Lana made to follow him but didn't very far as the woman brushed past her and threw her arms around the Doctor's neck as she would have done to any other new person joining the party.

"It's Victory day, hooray!" She spoke in a surprising British accent.

The Doctor responded almost instantly and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. Lana grinned to herself; he really did have a soft spot for this woman. He turned her head toward her and ... did he just smell her hair?!

The mystery woman seemed equally shocked by his reaction and pulled away with a million questions burning in her irises.

"Nice show." The Doctor smiled.

"Did you like it? It was my debut."

"And your retiring performance." The Doctor's tone of voice was another new for Lana – it was lower, it almost came out as a growl.

"Oh I love it when you get all jealous and possessive." That tone was definitely not to be misunderstood. She was flirting with the Doctor. And he was letting her. In fact he was grinning from ear to ear.

"I got your message."

"So I see." For the first time the woman dragged her eyes away from the Doctor's and looked over at Lana, smiling. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Yet another look that Lana did not understand passed between the two before the Doctor said:

"River this Lana, Lana this is Doctor River Song."

"Professor please, you know that." River offered her hand to Lana and she shook it.

"Nice to meet you."

The Doctor stood dumbfounded as both women turned back to him with an eerily similar inquisitive look.

"Professor. You're a Professor now, you're out of Stormcage?" River nodded. "When was the last time you saw me?"

"The Crash of the Byzantium." River suddenly looked very sad. "Almost two years ago."

Lana's mind was racing, so it was someone the Doctor knew. She smiled triumphant, she knew it. What she didn't know was who exactly this woman was. River might have looked sad but the Doctor was anything but, he was physically having to stop himself from jumping up and down with excitement.

"You've done Byzantium?" River asked.

"Yep."

"The Pandorica?"

"Oh yeah. And Utah and Demon's Run."

"So you know ..."

Once again they were talking in their own language with their eyes and Lana was getting more and more lost by the second. Pandorica, Demon's Run, Byzantium. Clearly they had a history.

"And Berlin ... and Utah again." River gasped as her own hand covered her mouth. "And oooh, I don't know, about 1,000 or so nights."

And then they were just staring at each other as if they were just seeing each other for the first time. And River's smile was almost as big as the Doctor's and Lana still hadn't a clue what was going on. A tear escaped the corner of River's eye and the Doctor reached out instinctively to brush it away. Half turning his head he realised Lana's gaze was still fixed up on him and so he took his hand away at the speed of light as though her tears had burnt his fingertips.

"Hello." River whispered.

Lana frowned. Hadn't they already done hello? You know the leaping embrace and hair smelling kind of hello.

"Hello." The Doctor replied.

"I wasn't expecting ..."

"Me either."

"Hell me either." A third voice suddenly interrupted the moment that had someone how managed to be rather quiet in the surrounding chaos.

They turned to see three tall men all wearing a long, beige trench coat and holding a riffle. The one in the middle, the one that had spoken pointed his gun toward the ceiling and fired four quick, consecutive shots into the air. The place erupted in screams of shock and fear and everybody crouched to the floor covering their heads with their hands. The music cut out and the place became creepily and instantaneously quiet. The echoes from the undisturbed parties all around filtered into the silence.

"Don't worry. I have no business with any of you." The man addressed the cowering bodies on the floor. "So piss off now and I won't put a bullet in your brain."

It was amazing how quickly the packed room filtered out until just River, the Doctor, Lana and the three men remained. Everybody else was like rats scurrying from a sinking ship and who could blame them? This was not on the agenda for tonight.

As the last few people scuttled out of the room the main man began strolling toward River. Her gaze did not falter as she stared at him hard in the eye.

"Professor Song I presume?" She didn't answer. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

She didn't have the chance to respond. Nobody had the chance to do anything. He raised his arm and swung his gun until the butt of the rifle collided with River's face creating a sickening crunch. She fell to the ground without another sound.

"And I want it back."


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for all of the reviews so far!_

_I've set the pin-up drawing (the inspiration for River's look) as the picture for this story as that works easier than trying to copy the link in._

_Please R+R._

Because this River is wild, god speed you boy

Chapter Two

Lana gasped and the man turned toward her instantly. She threw her hands up in surrender and focused all of her energy on not crying. He was tall with slick backed black hair and thick, heavy eyebrows almost engulfing his small beading eyes entirely. He was dressed the part but if she had to guess Lana would say he wasn't from this time. Something in the way he walked – he had seen stars and planets just as she had. He moved across the room acutely aware of how much more was out there, how much the people here didn't understand. Perhaps she walked like that too but she prayed she didn't. His arrogance almost poured from him as he physically looked down his nose at everything in his path. His thought process was clear, small minded, ignorant people that thought this victory was something to celebrate, as though they would never again be pulled into war. But then again ignorance is bliss they say and it was something that Lana never understood until late. Oh the things she had seen were magnificent but sometimes brutal and cruel. There's a reason the Doctor is the way that he is. And, as far as she could tell, a reason his companions never stayed travelling with him for longer than couple of years.

There is only so much beauty to see before the ugly creeps its way up and tips the scales down.

The man starred hard at Lana and then to the Doctor and then back at Lana. A slow deliberate smile spread its way across his face.

"Oh this is brilliant. This ... is ... brilliant!" He shouted. River started to come round on the floor, clutching her cheek where she'd been hit. "Professor Song, they told me you would surprise but I mean you really have surprised me." He sneered at the Doctor. "The Doctor. Complete with a 21st Century companion." His glance turned back to Lana and she suppressed a shudder. "He does always pick the pretty ones, hey? Does that bother you?" He addressed River who remained drowsy on the floor. "Funniest thing though I thought you were dead."

River groaned and the Doctor made another attempt to get to her but one of the sidekicks blocked his way, rifle still in hand.

"Time travel." River said hauling herself up to a sitting position. Her cheek was already swollen and turning blue. "You know how it works. It hasn't happened for him yet."

Lana witnessed another silent exchange between the Doctor and River. The expression on both of their faces appeared not to change but as River turned away again the Doctor released a breath he had been holding. Message received: she was alright. Whoever she was Lana was impressed at her resilience and courage – she did not appear scared at all. Lana wished she could say the same for herself, they were talking about the Doctor ... the Doctor's death. She can honestly say the thought had never even entered her head before. Can he die?

"Plausible. But I was thorough. All of the stories, the legends about you two ... you know Professor before you murdered him in blood."

Another short, sharp gasp turned everyone's attention back to Lana. She was staring at River as the first tears sprung from her eyes. All of the things she thought she could be: old companion, trusted friend, hell she was even considering lover. But murderer. His murderer. River said it was yet to happen for the Doctor – I mean he was still alive but he didn't look surprised. He knew. And he still took them right to her, to the woman that would end his life. It was the stupidest thing but Lana felt betrayed. She had idolised the woman in the picture – she had thought she was everything a strong woman should be, someone to look up to, to aspire to. And thus far River Song in person had not disappointed. They way she'd flirted with the Doctor, not awe-struck like Lana had seen a dozen times before but as his equal, his superior almost. And she had been so brave in the face of brutal violence. After all of that she was killer.

"Lana it's alright. It's going to be fine." The Doctor tried to sooth her.

But she continued to cry. She was so scared, so angry and so, so confused. This was the ugly, this was the cruel. How did any companion last years doing this?

"I read all those stories." The man continued. "I must know practically every adventure you ever had." The Doctor snorted – now who was ignorant. It was amazing how spectacularly dumb one person could be. "Don't remember this though. Don't remember her." He motioned to Lana still quietly sobbing. "Would you shut up!" He roared.

"Hey!" River interrupted, still crouched on the floor. "She didn't take your diamonds."

"No, you did. Are you going to play nice now?"

River smirked:

"What do you think?"

He advanced on her almost widely, grabbing a handful of thick, glorious hair and head-butted her square in the face. Once more she fell to the floor as limp as a rag doll, the bottom half of her face drowning in thick, red liquid as blood poured from her nose and mouth.

"No, please!" The Doctor begged.

"Don't get me wrong Doctor I am personally thrilled that you are back from the dead. But here's what I don't get. She kills you..." His motioned to River with his gun. The Doctor felt a trickle down the side of his face, a cold sweat. He really needed a clever, inspired idea to get them all out of here right about now. "She kills you, you miraculously survive and you still come running every time she clicks her fingers. Why is she so special? What is it about this one that gets you so excited? Oh she's pretty alright but then you must have met thousands of pretty girls that would fall at your feet. What was it, were you showing off? She was born to kill you, genetically engineered to hate you and you still made her fall for you. But then you weren't supposed to fall back were you Doctor?"

"I don't know where your diamonds are." The Doctor said in a steady voice, seemingly ignoring everything the man had just said.

"Well if that's true and I know she'd rather die than tell me, I guess there really is no point in keeping her alive." He pulled River up until she was kneeling in front of him and raised the gun to her temple.

"No! Please. Don't do this! You don't have to... please... she'll tell you, I'll make her tell you."

Lana had never heard the Doctor sound so frantic, so desperate. They'd been in fair few scrapes already, in fact every adventure there seemed to be something to run from or outsmart. But she'd got the impression the Doctor loved the chase, the thrill, the danger. He always had an answer. Looking at him now he was answerless, he was broken.

"Too late." The man laughed and cocked his gun.

It was time for Lana step up. Stop being scared and be the woman in that photograph. Strong, confident, useful. The words came out of her mouth before she realised she'd opened it:

"I know where they are." Once more the attention of the entire room was focused on her. "I know where the diamonds are. She told me, just before you came in. The Doctor was distracted and she whispered it to me, she said I shouldn't tell anyone but ..."

"Well at least someone is thinking straight. Are they close?"

"Yeah I can take you to them now."

"If you're lying to me, I swear ..."

"Why would I lie? That woman means nothing to me."

The man smiled, victorious. That scheming bitch thought she could pull one over on him. She might run rings around the Doctor but no-one takes him for a fool. Where he came from he would be a hero if he executed the woman who killed the Doctor. Truth be told he couldn't believe he was alive or how he'd managed it or why River Song has stayed in prison all that time for crime she didn't commit. He had the feeling he was missing something. The academic in him wanted to know, wanted the answers. The man who knew the truth. But none of that was really his concern anymore – he needed to find his diamonds and get the hell out of here.

"Lana ..." The Doctor paused unsure of how to continue. He tried to warn her with his eyes but she was having none of it. River would walk out of here with him screaming after her – if she wanted to go he wouldn't stop her, so he wouldn't stop Lana.

"You can't stop me Doctor." She'd wanted her voice to be steady but it was thick from her crying and the pitch wobbled up and down until it sounded more like a whine. Still actions speak louder than words. Although she had no idea what action she would take once she got outside and they realised she had no clue where they diamonds were.

This is it, she thought as the man grabbed her arm and went to turn her toward the door.

The next moment in time happened so quickly Lana could not even process what was happening let alone help in anyway. She simply stood frozen, her muscles shocked into a submissive slumber. Her grandfather, her youthful grandfather that looked so much like her father when she was young snuck in behind the man guarding the door and silently snapped his neck. He fell to the floor and the other sidekick yelled and aimed his gun but her grandfather shot him down before his arm was fully raised. Meanwhile River had apparently awoke once more and stood with a bolt of energy, kneeing the main man in his crotch she grabbed his gun as he fell to the floor and smashed the butt of it into his face.

"How do you like it?" She spat. "Whoaaa..." She swayed unsteady on her feet and the Doctor caught her just as fell backwards.

"Papa!" Lana gave a watery smile to her heroic relative.

"Sorry love?"

He didn't know who she was. How could he? Her father hadn't even been born yet. Irrationally she thought he might just look at her and know, somehow, he wouldn't understand but he would just know. But he didn't. She was a stranger to him. But he was anything but to her, she hadn't seen him in over ten years and despite everything her heart swelled with joy and love. Her papa.

"Nothing, sorry, nothing." He smiled and walked past her.

"You know how to pick them!" The Doctor berated as he leant River against a table and studied her face.

"He deserved it." She whispered.

"Why did you stick around waiting for him? ... Thanks." The Doctor took a wet cloth from Lana's grandfather and began to dap at River's face.

"Thank you for coming back, you didn't have to do that." River said to the man.

"I saw what he did you and I didn't know what was going on but no woman should be treated like that. I had to do something. We're meant to be celebrating victory for God's sake!"

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked.

"Simon."

"Pleasure to meet you Simon, I'm the Doctor."

"Oh good, looks like she needs one."

"Simon would mind looking after my dear friend Lana over there; I think she deserves a very big drink."

"Certainly, Lana – what a pretty name. Come on let's see what we can find out back." Lana followed her grandfather from the room, smiling from ear to ear.

"It's her grandfather." The Doctor explained.

"Yes sweetie I know. I don't just let any yank take my picture. You took your time finding it though."

"Phone call, you could try a phone call or physic paper, that works well."

"Well after all of these years I was trying to surprise you, you know keep some mystery in the relationship." The Doctor laughed and replied:

"Trust me River you always surprise ... sorry ..." He said as she winched in pain. "Let me look at you." He held her face toward the light. "You'll live." He concluded.

"I've had worse."

"Don't tell me that."

He moved away from her sharply and threw the bloody paper towel in the bin. He returned to the bin and gave it a quick kick for good measure.

"Make a habit of getting beaten to within an inch of your life, do you?"

"Sometimes I can't run fast enough."

"You can run to me."

"No I can't." The Doctor snapped his head toward her, rejection blazing in his eyes. "This you yes but I haven't seen this you in a very long time. Most of the time you barely know who am I. I can't cling onto you forever, for every little thing."

"I know." He hung his head.

"I'm so happy _you're_ here. You ... you ..." She whispered and he knew exactly what she meant.

And suddenly the mood changed. The anger filtered through, out of the open door and relief surged through his entire body. The tightness around his guts that was always present when she was in danger, when she was hurting, it eased a little and his breathing became easier. The energy rushing through every nerve ending and down each vein and artery transformed into a new emotion: desire. She was there, she was hurt, she was vulnerable. Instinct took over, primitive yet irrational was his thought process: if he could claim her he could make it all alright, she would be his and he could protect her. All he could see was the underside of her pert little bottom as she turned her back to him. The way her legs drew in at the knees and then out again – shapely, perfect. He wanted to bury himself so far into her that nothing could ever touch her again. She was right, he was jealous and he was possessive and only she had the power to make him feel such things.

He moved toward her, forcing her to face him. The attack came first on her sore lips and then much lower as he shoved his hand down the front of her shorts until she was gasping into his mouth. She was surprised but instantly aroused. Breath hot on this side of his neck and nails scratching at his shoulders. He was still scared and this was the only way he knew how to deal with it. The only way to prove she was okay. Her attacker still unconscious on the floor and Lana just in the next room, it was so wrong but right, it felt so right.

"Doctor?!"

Lana stood in the doorway eyes narrowed in disbelief. Her grandfather stood behind trying to look in completely the other direction nonchalantly. The Doctor removed his hand and despite the situation River groaned at the loss of contact.

"Who are you?!" She demanded of River but did not wait for an answer as she fled from the abandoned building.


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry for the slight delay. Note rating for this one. Please R+R. Thank you. _

This River is wild, god speed you boy

Chapter three:

He found her sitting by herself on the curb of an abandoned street. Celebrations echoed all around but this road was full of houses and none of them were occupied. All men, women and children were gathered together in restaurants and bars and parks. All except this one. The one that didn't belong here, didn't come from here and was having trouble making sense of this world. Lana sat under a street lamp, the harsh yellow cast all around her made her skin look sickly pale.

The Doctor sat next to her, so close and anymore they would have been touching. She didn't acknowledge his presence straight away. Too lost in thought, staring directly ahead, looking at nothing in particular, looking blank. He nudged her shoulder with his own and she swayed silently.

"Hello." He lowered his voice and didn't really know why – they were hardly going to disturb anyone.

"Hello." Her voice taking on the exact tone of his. Only then did she turn to him. "I'm sorry about my strop." She was quietly sincere, as always.

"I think you had a right to be in a strop. I shouldn't have ..."

"... been having sex whilst I was in the building?"

The Doctor reddened immediately, a blush making quick work of his usual pale features.

"Well ... yes. I ... it's River ... that woman, she calls me impossible but ... I find it harder to control myself when she's around. I'm more angry, more frustrated, more excited ..."

"More human." Lana concluded. "I've never seen you look or act so human."

He appeared to have ignored what she had said and continued with his own train of thought:

"I shouldn't have brought you here. When I saw the photo I thought, well I didn't know what to think, what to expect. One never does with River Song. She leaves me messages; pictures, artefacts in museums, carvings on ancient monuments. And he's right I come running, every time, can't help myself."

"Because you love her." Lana was looking away, he couldn't see the expression in her eyes. But her tone wasn't accusing or thick with envy – it emotionless, it was factual. He opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off without even turning her head. She already knew him so well. "Don't even try and deny it. It's written all over face. Every time you look at her. It's the same way I look you, the same way I've seen dozens of people look at you. Awe-struck, excited, scared, dangerous. Mind-blowing. That's why people travel with you, because you are all of those things and more. And that's what River is to you. Even though you know she is going to kill you still come. Like a moth to a flame."

He always knew that she was perceptive. That the cogs in her mind were constantly turning, processing, going-over the information before her eyes. But she still thought of River as a murderer, just like everybody else did. The pang of guilt was even sharper than normal, because this River – the River who had by now no doubt already found another party, another audience, this River didn't even have the love, the reassurance of himself. She had a cold and unknowing Doctor. He had left her truly alone. But this was one person to whom he could tell the truth, clear her name person by person.

"River was lying. It has already happened." She turned to him then, tears in her eyes and a strangled whisper:

"But you're still here."

Here goes nothing.

"River Song was born Melody Pond. She was the daughter of my friends Amy and Rory; they used to travel with me as you do now. But Melody was special, she was different, she was conceived on the TARDIS. She was human, she had two human parents but with an extra strand of DNA. Time lord DNA." Lana's eyes grew wide with shock but she did not speak. She was like him. Now that made more sense. "It was magnificent. I thought I was the only one left but then there she was. Glorious." The Doctor smiled then it faded. "People found out, people who wanted to bring me down: The Silence they were called. They stole Melody from her parents when she was just a few hours old. They thought she could be their greatest weapon, seeing her in action now I suppose it wasn't the craziest idea. And they raised her, trained her and conditioned her for one purpose: to kill me. Oh she escaped though, how they under estimated my little Melody."

Lana turned to him and grinned, _my. _He was so in love.

"She made it back to her parents for a little while but the Silence found her again. They released everything within her, everything she'd learned since she was a baby and they sent her to kill me. No-one could have fought against it; she was programmed to kill me. But they underestimated her once again. She wasn't anybody, she was River Song. My death was a fixed point in time, it couldn't be changed. Instead she froze it, froze time so that that moment would never come."

"That's brilliant!" Lana was breathy with excitement.

"Oh you should have seen it." Grinning from ear to ear, his speech picking up pace as it always did when he was excited. "Everything from all of time and space happening at the same moment. Cleopatra and Winston Churchill ruling at the same time, dinosaurs in Hyde Park, Area 52 in the Pyramids. But time couldn't handle it. It was falling apart and the only way to stop it was for me to die. I begged her to restart time and in the end she did."

"But she didn't kill you, you're still here. You didn't die." Lana demanded.

"Here's the really clever bit. She did kill me, or so it looked. A robot me, a teselecta."

"A tes ... selcta?"

"Life size robot that looked exactly like me, controlled by a miniature me." Lana still looked confused. "I was inside it but protected by a big robot shield. Didn't even get a scratch. So they stopped looking for me, stop hurting the people I cared about the most. I made sure there would never be another Melody Pond. The universe definitely couldn't cope with two."

"That's a hell of a story."

"Well that's the good bits."

"So what are the bad bits?"

"Everybody thought that she'd killed me. She was imprisoned for it. As you can imagine the bars didn't keep her for very long. She had plenty of adventures before she earned her pardon, from the same damn church that taken her from her parents in the first place. But she's free now."

"A happy ending?"

The Doctor looked away, he couldn't lie to looking into her eyes. There was no happy ending for River. He buried his head in his knees and moaned.

"Doctor?"

"It's not as simple as that. We're both time travellers, we never meet in the right order. My firsts are her lasts. Today is different, unusual that we would be at roughly the same time in our lives. Normally I would see a younger her and she a younger me who wouldn't have a clue about what I've just told you, he hasn't lived it yet."

"Okay now I'm completely lost. I don't understand."

"Neither do I Lana. But all you need to understand is that River Song is good, despite what anyone tells you, she is good. She is all of the things that thought when you used to look at that picture; she is something to aspire to. Okay?"

"Okay." Lana agreed. "We should go find her."

"Oh that'll be easy. Just find the loudest, leeriest party and she'll be at the centre of it. Hopefully with your grandfather, if he's managed to keep up."

"Quite a woman, _your _Melody."

"And he appears to be quite the hero, _your _Grandfather."

"I'm so happy I met him again. Thank you."

/ / /

They did find them just as the Doctor had described, another bar, full to the brink of partying people. The noise from the crowds combined with the music should have been unbearable but it wasn't. Everything was so happy and joyous it would have been so hard to be miserable or even put out whilst in the middle of it.

River was, of course, at the centre of the dance floor swing dancing with a local. Simon not too far away also showing his moves to swooning girls, he was the one that noticed their arrival.

"Lana!" He bellowed over the music, signalling her to join him.

"Go on." The Doctor said. "Join him."

And so she did. By this time River had clocked their arrival as well; she excused herself and made her way through the crowds to the Doctor who was leaning against the bar at the back. She was breathless from the dancing and he tried to ignore the rapid rise of fall of her chest and the subtle outline of her nipples that was visible through the thin t-shirt.

"Everything sorted?" He answered her question with one of his own:

"Where is our little friend?"

"Handcuffed to a radiator ... in 5325 ... And just for good measure sealed with a ..." The Doctor stopped her advancing mouth with his finger, placing it against her lips to silence her. "... kiss." She finished, breath dancing across his dominant digit. He passed her a tissue. "Spoilsport." She pouted but wiped the hallucinogenic gloss from lips.

As soon as she was poison free her kissed her, burying his hands deep in her hair and pulling her body flush against his. As they pulled apart she grinned mischievously:

"Now just don't put your hands down my shorts and we shouldn't have a problem."

He ignored her and kissed her again, harder this time, his hands moving to encircle her waist and if possible pushing her even further into him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"What for?"

"For everything. Everything I've asked of you, put you through. I'm sorry for not saying sorry enough; I should say it every time ..."

"Oh Jesus! Someone's been taking an angsty trip down memory lane hey?"

"I mean it." He turned his head away despite the fact they were still standing incredible close, touching almost top to toe. She leant up and brushed her lips against his cheek. A subtle, tender show of affection.

"Sweetie ... It's Victory day. I'm here, you're here, you actually have a bloody clue who I am, surely that's a reason to celebrate."

He turned his head and caught her lips briefly with his own.

"Okay."

She pulled away and held her hand out to him.

"Dance with me." The Doctor hesitated. "I know it's not a wedding but ..."

"You dance. I'll watch."

River retracted her hand and placed it on her hip, smirking once more.

"Perv."

"You like it."

She considered this for a moment before the smirk grew into a little laugh.

"Yes I do." And with that she re-entered the sea of people.

/ / /

Some time later the Doctor found himself sitting alone in a corner table. It was well into the early hours of the morning but the celebrations showed no signs of slowing down and why should they. He, for one, was no particular hurry for the night to end. River was radiating happiness and it made her all the more desirable, and Lana was spending quality time with her grandfather – something she never thought she'd experience again, not to mention all the attention she was receiving from the young men in the room. The Doctor's friends were happy, that meant he was content.

"Got you a drink Doc."

Simon, Lana's grandfather moved into the seat opposite him and passed him a beer. The Doctor forced a smile, if there was one thing worse than wine it was beer. How could humans get any enjoyment from such a foul tasting, off colour substance? Some humany-wumany things he really didn't get.

"Thank you. And thanks again for what you did earlier. River was right you didn't have to come but you did all the same."

"Easy decision. The way I see the world – some things are right and some things are wrong. Hitting a woman? Well that's just wrong regardless of the situation. And watching that and doing nothing about it when you could well that's wrong too to my mind."

"You're a good man. So what are your plans now the war's over?"

"I think I'll go back to England. I was positioned there a year back, got myself a sweetheart waiting for me. When I was injured, got my gammy leg – war was over for me and so was my time in London. Always planned on going back after it was all over. To tell you the truth I can't wait. She's a hell of a girl. What about you?"

"I'm going to travel too. I promised my friend Lana I'd show her the stars."

"She's brilliant Lana. Clever, thoughtful, witty, beautiful too. I bet she's made a man a very proud father."

"And another man a proud grandfather." Simon nodded.

The Doctor rose his glass to toast Simon and Lana, two good people to his mind. He forced down a mouthful of the vile liquid and tried to not spit it back out over the table. Simon didn't seem to notice his discomfort; he was focusing on something approaching their table.

"Miss Song." He said as she sat herself next to the Doctor, leaning over him and grabbing his drink, downing half of it in one go.

"Help yourself dear." The Doctor muttered.

"Miss Song, I was meaning to ask you if I could enquire after your address." River arched eyebrow suggestively and Simon blushed slightly. "For the photograph I took of you miss, I shan't know where to sent it once I have it developed see."

"I'm afraid I live quite far away, I fear it would not reach me. Besides I want you to keep it. You can date it on the back and then you'll always know where you were when America celebrated victory."

"Oh trust me miss I won't forget. Excuse me."

He left them alone at their quiet table. The Doctor turned and examined River's face, her cheek was a deep purple and properly swollen now as was her top lip.

"How is it?"

"It will hurt like a bitch tomorrow but I have it on the word of a very fine Doctor that I'll live." She smiled; he kissed the end of her nose. "I was talking to Lana, you told her everything."

"Yes. I'm sorry if you didn't want me to."

"No it's fine! It's much nicer to be looked at like that then before when she thought ..."

"I wish I could tell everybody the truth."

"I fear that would somewhat defeat the point sweetie."

"You don't deserve to be thought of that way."

"I don't care what everybody else thinks of me, I care what you think of me."

"I think you are stunning." He drew her forehead against his and let his hand trail lazily over the side over her face and down her neck until lightly gripped there. "You look stunning."

River Song had a mischievous glint in her eye once more.

"I forgot how horny you are when you're older." The Doctor laughed:

"Oh you have no idea." She looked down at his lap and added her own little giggle.

"I think I'm getting there."

She reached down and cupped him lightly. He groaned loudly as he closed his eyes to intensify her burning touch just where he needed it. The Doctor physically ached with want and desire, he'd been watching that bottom of hers wiggle around the dance floor for over an hour now and oh god she undoing the zip. He could smell that disgusting beer on her breath but somehow it wasn't the least bit disgusting now, it was teasing, enchanting almost and all he wanted to do was to crash his mouth onto hers to get closer to it, to taste it on her tongue. He didn't doubt that anything would taste good on that tongue, in that mouth. Those lips ... she reached inside his trousers and quite frankly it was a miracle he didn't come right then and there. His hand found hers and he forced his eyes open.

"River we can't do this!" He hissed.

"But it's Victory Day!" Her voice took on the persona a beautiful yet vacant southern bell. "We finally beat them dam Jap-an-ese and I am so fraught with emotion I need something to calm me nerves sir." He managed to stare her down and she tore her hand from his trousers, hitting his desire as she did so and he let out a little yelp of pain. "Come on!" She was back to being River, a pissed off River to be precise. "Start what you finished earlier!"

"Ah yes remember earlier, remember how well that ended?"

"We can't have sex because of little innocent Lana? Did you see her with her solider friend earlier? I can guarantee you that her knickers a lot further south than mine right now!"

"River!"

"What? You're the only one that's allowed to have fun on these adventures I suppose."

"She's sensible, she's ..."

"She's a young, single girl surrounded by gorgeous men in uniform."

"Humans." The Doctor berated. River sighed, getting up from his lap and turned to walk away. "Where are you going?"

"Well if you won't sort me out thought I'm going to find somebody else that will." She teased, glancing over her shoulder.

He was out of his chair as if he had been fired out of a canon. It was trick, of course it was a trick but he would always rise to it. Possessive and jealous after all. He threw an arm around her waist from behind, fingernails digging into the delicate skin on her hipbone. She made a fake gasp of surprise but her face gave her away: she was smug. She had won their little game but soon enough they would both be winning. His mouth devoured the side of her neck, lips sucking so hard at her pulse point it was sure to leave deep, red marks. River giggled as she led them in the direction of the bathroom:

"Maybe you'll do after all."


End file.
